It was just a regular day for Fred Bastardo as he visited a local market to buy some California Lottery tickets. He purchased one Scratchers® ticket, but it wasn’t a winner…Nor was the second…or the third. Bastardo told the clerk, “I’m not leaving until I get a winner.”
After his fourth ticket didn’t win, Bastardo quickly changed his tune. He bought a fifth Scratchers, but this time he told the clerk, “Ok, if I don’t win I’m done.” His persistence paid off! His fifth and final ticket was a $10 Scratchers that turned out to be worth a staggering $750,000!
The very same day, Bastardo and his girlfriend came into the California Lottery’s Fresno District Office to claim their huge top prize. Before they got there though, they had to make a stop…literally. As Bastardo’s girlfriend was driving on the freeway, he told her she needed to pull over because he needed to have a serious talk with her.
So, the couple actually came to a stop on the side of the freeway. She said that she instantly got worried that her suddenly rich boyfriend was about to either break up with her or propose! We’re happy to report that Bastardo did in fact propose and the two are now engaged. His suddenly new fiancée said that getting engaged was even better than winning the money.
The winning ticket was purchased at El Ranchero Liquor which is located at 11998 South 10th Avenue in Hanford (Kings County). We asked Bastardo what he planned on doing with his winnings, and the lucky winner said he would like to invest his money wisely and start his own business.